Band could be this year's rock darling

February 25, 1999
Darrin Keene
Windsor Star

Atlanta's Marvelous 3 are the latest rulers of the modern-rock radio throne, thanks in large part to their catchy single Freak of the Week. Are they yet another one-hit wonder?

Given the strength of their major-label debut, the Hey! Album, this betting man would give them at least a two-to-one chance of being this year's modern rock darlings. The Hey! Album brings to mind the power-pop style of Cheap Trick, the Cars and the Knack (to name but a few influences) with tight song structures, pop hooks galore, and gritty fuzz-box guitar riffs.

Granted, there's nothing particularly innovative to M3's sound. Some of the songs sound vaguely familiar -- Over Your Head, for instance, sounds like a hybrid of Steve Miller's Space Cowboy and the Cars' Magic.

It's often been said that pop music survives through the creative reconstruction of yesterday's popular sounds. M3 offer proof that this is indeed the case.